Method of making brick-simulating tile



April 29, 1958 R. A. MARYANSKI 2,832,104

METHOD oF MAKING BRICK-SIMULATING TILE Filed April 1s, 1955 ECHIL i lmmmmm INVENTOR.

@fg/ mf m' Unite States PatentI 2,832,104 METHOD F MAKING BRICK-SIMULATING TILE Richard A. Maryanski, Chicago, lll. Application April 18, 1955, Serial No. 501,950

2 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-J5) This invention relates to a method of producing a wall covering, particularly adapted to interior use, which bears a marked visual similarity to brick. It is an object of the invention to provide an improved wall covering of such character, and an improved method of making `the same. f

Many devices have been employed in the past for simulating laid brick, these ranging from large strips of asphaltic side material to simple painted surfaces. A product produced in accordance with thepresent invention, however, simulates laid brick to a degree substantially beyond any prior art device. This similarity results from a marked simulation of the surface of an individual brick, along with an actual relief effect between bricks, simulating that existing in a genuine brick wall in which the joints have been struck.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the accurate simulation of the surface of an individual brick is accomplished by the use of cork board which is treated with a rubber base paint to give it the desired color and texture. The relief effect, simulating that of the conventional brick wall, is obtained by the use of individual tiles yof such cork board, cut to approximately the `dimensions of the exposed surface of any conventional brick, the ytiles being secured to a wall surface in spaced-apart relationship.

Accordingly, it is another object of the invention to produce an improved.briclosimulating wall covering which closely simulates the texture of individual bricks and which incorporates a relief effect 'closely simulating that of a brick construction.

lt is another object of the invention to produce an improved individual tile whose surface closely simulates that of brick and whose dimensions approximate those of the exposed surface of any conventional brick as laid.

It is another object of the invention to provide fan improved method of treating ycork board to make it more durable, more exible 'and to make it more accurately simulate the color and texture of brick.

This invention, together with further objects and ad vantages thereof, will best be understood by reference `to the following description taken in connection with the `accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like like numerals,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an installation of brick-simulating tile illustra-ting one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the installation illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a tool recommended for installation `of `,tile constructed in accordance with the present invention; t

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of semi-automatic apparatus which may be employed in producing the Vtile of Figs. 1 and 2, and

'Fig 5 is a plan `view of a portion of aplatform incorporatedin the apparatus of Fig. 4.

The brick-simulating tiles illustrated in the -drawings have suggested dimensions yof 2 by 12 inches. These dimensions correspond to building brick which is generlly Areferred to as Roman brick, whereas -the more conparts are designated by Cil ventional brick measures approximately' 2 by 8 inches. The larger size is recommended for the brick-simulating tiles of this invention because of the fact that it permits more rapid installation. It will be understood, of course, that brick-simulating tiles produced in accordance with the present invention may be of any desired size Ias long as the individual tiles reasonably simulate a single brick.

The Itiles l0 of Fig. l are individual pieces cut from a relatively large sheet of cork board, such as is readily obtainable on the open market. Alfter the individual tiles have been cut from .a large sheet of cork board and have been treated with rubber base paint, as described below, they may be installed on an existing wall by ythe use of suitable adhesive or by sin-all nails. In Fig. 2 the tiles 10 are shown applied to a conventional plastered Wall 11. It will also be noted in Fig. 2 that the uppermost tiles 10a are substantially thicker than the remaining tiles. The tiles 10a are merely cut from thicker cork board, and may be used to advantage, decoratively, in various applications, for example in forming the uppermost row `of tile in a given installation.

The individual tiles 10, as installed, are spaced apart by a distance approximating the mortar-iilled space between bricks. `A tool 12, shown in Fig. 3, has been found to be helpful in providing accurate spacing between rows of tile. The tool 12, which may be nothing more than a straight wooden Slat, is temporarily laid over one installed row of tile and the nex-trow may be applied to the wall 11 and butted against the upper surface of the tool 12. It will be seen that use of this tool thereby provides a convenient method of obtaining accurate vertical spacing of the bricks. The tool is also provided with indieating lines 13 which facilitate the lateral positioning of the tile. When the tool is laid over an installed row of tiles, pairs of indicia 13 are made to coincide with the joints in that row. Other pairs of indicia 13 then indicate the proper position for joints, that is, for the ends of the tiles, in the next row. Any unusual staggering of the tile of the various rows may be conveniently provided for by the addition of other indicia on the tool 12.

Cork board in its normal form is of a brownish color, quite unlike the natural color of the more commonly employed brick. Furthermore, the cork board is rather fragile and is not particularly ilexible. It has been found that the problems of color, strength and. flexibility can be solved by the proper application of rubber base paint to the cork board after it has been cut into individual tiles. At the same time the rubber 'base paint when prop- -erly applied improves the texture of the cork board insofar as its simulation Iof brick is concerned.

ln accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the individual cork board tiles are dipped in rubber base paint, as in the tank l5 of Fig. 4. After the paint has had ample opportunity to soak into the pores of the tiles, the individual tiles are removed and are laid on a platform lo. Suitable apparatus such as the endless belt 17, having prongs extending therefrom, is preferably provided for advancing the tile along tl'e platform 16. The platform lo' is in the form of a e as indicated in Fig. 5. Preferably, the piatform lo .s formed a piece of sheet metal having holes 17 punched therein rather than being in the form of a woven screen.

As the tiles 1i) are advanced along the platform 16 by the moving prongs 1d, excess paint on the: lower surface may drain through the openings 17 into a pan 19 arranged therebelcw, whereby the drippings may be salvaged. Furthermore, the lower surface of the tiles 10 are lightly scraped by the platform l. This removes excess paint which may not drip oif the tiie and, furthermore, works the remaining paint to improve its texture and rub it into the pores of the tiles.

After one side of each tile has been allowed to drain and has been scraped by movement along the platform 16, itl is desirable that the opposite sides be similarly treated. For this purpose a power-operated rotary device 2t) is provided and is driven in sequence with the endless belt 17 such that the individual arms of the rotary device 20 engage successive tiles as they are fed thereto and turn them over. Further movement of the tiles along the platform 16pm-mits draining and scraping of the other side thereof. Such movement is provided by a second endless belt 2l having prongs 22 secured thereto, these prongs extending up through suitable slots in the platform 16.

Finally, each successive tile l@ is made to pass under a soft brush 23 which tends to break up any small air bubbles on the upper surface of the tile and further improves the surface texture such that the tile will more accurately simulate brick.

The semi-automatic apparatus of Fig. 4 is disclosed only roughly, the purpose being to illustrate the principles of the method and to show that brick-simulating tiles embodying the present invention may be produced economically.

Where the tile is to simulate conventional red brick, a suitable rubber base paint has been found to be Moores ruby red latex base paint sold under the trade name Wall Satin, this paint being diluted by water in the proportion of one part of paint to one part of water. Where a deeper red is desired for more dramatic effect, a suitable rubber base paint has been found to be Gliddens cardinal red rubber base paint, sold under the trade name Spred In this case a mixture of two parts of paint to one part of water is recommended. Where a whitewashed brick is to be simulated, a suitable rubber base paint has been found to be Sherwin-Williams Shasta white Kem-T one. ln this case the paint is not diluted since a heavy coat is required to obtain coverage. These recommendations are made, of course, only to point out specific paints that have been found to work well.

It has been found that cork board, to which rubber base paint has been suitably applied, preferably by dipping, not only takes the color well but becomes much stronger and holds together in spite of substantial bending. This additional strength and ilexibility of the cork tile by virtue of its treatment by the rubber base paint is of great importance in the present application, since untreated cork board is so fragile, and so easily broken by relatively small llexure, that its use in the suggested application is diflicult without such treatment. However, as long as the cork board is colored satisfactorily, the tiles are useful to the extent that they can be handled without breaking.

A thickness of 3/s inch is recommended for the cork board from which the cork tiles are cut. This provides a s/s inch relief effect between the bricks and the surrounding mortar joint. In other words, an actual relief effect equal to the full thickness of the tiles is obtained. Cork board on the order of one inch thick may be employed for the tiles lila for decorative purposes. It will be understood, of course, that the tiles may be of any desired thickness, depending on the desired depth of relief effect.

For convenience of installation, it is desirable that half tiles (half as long as the standard tiles) may be employed. ,lt has been found that outside corners may be handled by a simple butt joint between tiles on the adjacent walls.

The original painting of the wall or other surface to which the tiles are to be applied is preferably done before such application. Repainting of the narrow exposed portions of the wall after installation of the tiles can readily be accomplished by a small brush. Where the desired over-all effect is the simulation of a natural brick wall, the under surface should be painted the color of mortar. Still further realism may be obtained by the incorporation of cork dust or finely ground cork in the paint applied to the under surface. This produces a roughness ofnish which is suggestive of mortar.

It is to be understood that a wall covering produced in accordance with the present invention need not necessarily resemble a natural brick construction. The tiles and the underlying surface to which they are applied may be painted any desired color. For unusual or dramatic effects, the tiles might be painted an unnatural color, such as green, in which case they would resemble bricks which had been painted green. The underlying surface similarly can be painted an unusual color without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A wall covering produced in accordance with the invention described above closely simulates a brick construction; rst, because the surface of the tiles accurately simulates the surface of actual brick, and second, the relief effect, equal to the full thickness of the tiles, further suggests an actual brick construction. Furthermore, the individual cork board tiles readily take the color of the paint with which it is treated in the manner described above, whereby they may be made to be of the same color as natural brick, or may be given any desired color or dramatic effect. The cork board tiles, particularly as strengthened and as made more tlexible by proper treatment with rubber base paint, are well able to adapt themselves to various irregular surfaces. The cork board, so treated, has no tendency to shed particles of itself or even when brushed or rubbed. Accordingly, it is very well adapted to interior use. For example, the tiles may even be applied to a round post of fairly small diameter. Further, it has been found that a wall which is covered in accordance with the present invention, is highly sound-absorbent. Still further, a wall covering produced in accordance with the present invention substantially increases the thermal insulation value of the wall.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and it is, therefore, contemplated to cover by the appended claims any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention having thus been described, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of forming a brick-simulating wall covering which comprises, -cutting from a sheet of cork board a plurality of individual tiles having principal surface dimensions approximating those of the exposed surface of a brick as laid, dipping said tiles in a bath of rubber base paint, and sliding said tiles along the upper surface of a foraminous platform.

2. The method of forming a brick-simulating wall covering which comprises, cutting from a sheet of cork board a plurality of individual tiles having principal surface dimensions approximating those of the exposed surface of a brick as laid, and dipping said tiles in a bath of rubber base paint, sliding said tiles along a foraminous platform to permit drainage of and to scrape excess paint from one principal surface of each tile, and brushing said one surface of each tile to break up any air bubbles trapped inthe applied paint.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS `1,230,381 Comerma June 19, 1917 1,572,070 KOleIlSk Feb. 9, 1926 1,910,810 Nash May 23, 1933 2,045,312 ROOS June 23, 1936 2,769,741 Schwartz Nov. 6, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES Publication: Sweets File- Architectural 15/G, page 9 1951. 

